Rocket Construction
In the construction of a rocket you have mainly 7 things to consider: Fuel Capacity Depending on where you want to get and what maneuvers you plan on doing in space you need enough fuel. You need just a more fuel than absolutely need to leave margin for mistakes. The fuel capacity is also affected by which engine is used as different engines have different fuel efficiency. Some engines may take more fuel to finish one job than the other. This is explained more thoroughly in the Thrust section. Mass ]] ]] Try to get by with the minimal parts possible that yet can fulfill the mission you want to do. Remove unnecessary parts and use Separator or Separator (Side) to remove empty tanks that increases weight of the craft. Docking Ports can also be utilized as separators - the plus point is that new parts can be added to the craft if needed; the downside is that they do not provide a large separation force to ensure that the craft and the discarded part will not collide. Thrust You need a Thrust (In Newtons) divided by Weight (mass*g or 9.8 m/s^2) (TWR) greater than 1 to achieve a liftoff. Note that only a larger than 1 TWR will only liftoff the rocket, but may or may not able to reach orbit before using all fuel. In addition, some engines are more efficient than others. For example, a Frontier Liquid Fuel Engine produces a 112 tons thrust; while a Hawk Engine produces 115 tons of thrust. Although they provide similar amounts of thrust, the weight, the specific impulse(ISP) and the fuel consumption rates are different. They may cause difference in actual gameplay. Aerodynamics ]] ]] With the atmospheres of [[Venus|'Venus']], Earth, Mars, and Jupiter there are atmospheres that slows down spacecraft (Though Europa has an atmosphere, this doesn't happen). If the aerodynamics are not done properly, there may not be enough fuel to complete a mission. Considering using Nose Cone, Aerodynamic Fuselage and/or a combination of fairings to reduce improve the aerodynamics. Always try to make your rocket as Pointed or "A-shaped" as possible (Using flat surfaces produces too much drag that efficiency lowers significantly) Control .|64px]] .|64px]] There are now 2 types of control craft controller, each with different weight and torque (essentially rotation force). The Command Module is for manned missions, and the probe is designed for unmanned ones. There are absolutely no consequences for using which in the current version. Pick your capsule depending on how much weight you can afford to carry and how much torque you need for your rocket. Others # Landing legs can be employed for not destroying your rocket since engines cannot take as much impact force as landing legs. A leg can withstand an impact speed of around 8.5 m/s. # Parachutes are extremely useful also if you don't want to waste any fuel when landing on planets with atmospheres, so remember to pack a few and one extra if you are returning your ship back to Earth. Additional Links * Rocket showcases * Building Orbital Rockets * Building Moon Rockets * Building Mars Rockets * Building Jupiter Rockets * Equations Category:Tutorial